e held the same place in my
heart!"

"The place next to Cyn!" was Nattie's involuntary bitter thought, but
she instantly stifled the feeling, and answered,

"Thank you, Clem; and I hope we may always be the same friends."

At this Clem took an impetuous step towards her, and would have
said--who can tell what?--had not at the same moment Mrs. Simonson, very
much out of breath, come up with them. Nattie was not sorry. She had
wished to say to him what she had, that he might not think her changed
manner of late had been caused by any feeling of dislike, and might
understand she wished him success with Cyn. But she had no desire to
prolong the interview, and gladly walked on by the side of the puffing
Mrs. Simonson.

Clem, however, looked displeased, and followed with a thoughtful face;
so thoughtful that Mrs. Simonson noticed and wondered at his
preoccupation.

Meanwhile, Cyn, with Jo, were far in advance, and had turned into a
by-path that led toward a slight rising, sauntering on, Cyn talking
merrily, Jo unusually quiet, until suddenly stopping, she exclaimed,

"Dear me! we have lost sight of every one! Had we not better return?"

"No! I do not want to!" answered Jo, bluntly.

"Do you not? As you say, only we must not lose them. Possibly they may
stroll this way; shall we sit down?" and without waiting for a response
Cyn seated herself on a big rock by the side of the pathway.

Although Jo was not romantic, he had an artist-eye, and could not but
note the beauty of the scene before him, a scene he did not need to
reproduce on canvas to remember ever after;--the mountains in the
background, the narrow path sloping down from the near hill to where, on
the gray and moss-covered rock, Cyn sat, her dark eyes mellow with the
summer sunshine, and the cherry ribbons of her hat giving the requisite
touch of color to make the picture perfect.

For a moment he stood in silent admiration, then, taking off his hat,
and smoothing down his shaven locks, he said,

"To tell the truth, Cyn, I do hope they will not stroll this way. They
are around altogether too much. I never can have a quiet talk with you!"

"I declare, I believe in addition to your being unsentimental, and all
that, you are becoming a confirmed grumbler!" exclaimed Cyn, as she
caught one of the boughs of the tree overhead and turned a
merrily-protesting face towards him.

Jo looked at her, and a queer expression came over his face.

"Am I?" he said, slo